Elevating device for table tops



Oct. 9, 1951 J. G. WEBER ELEVATING DEVICE FOR TABLE TOPS Filed May 22, 1948 INVENTOR. JOHN GEORGE WEBER ATTORNEYS Patented Oct. 9, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELEVATING DEVICE FOR. TABLE TOPS John George Weber, Bryn Mawr, Pa.

Application May 22, 1948, Serial No. 28,591

This invention relates to a screw type elevating device and more particularly to such a device having novel means to eliminate playwhen in the elevated position.

The invention has been found to be particularly useful when applied to furniture. It is apparent that the utility of many types of furniture can be increased if their heights can be varied. This is particularly true in the case of a table. For example, a coffee table, having a top which can be raised to a height suitable for playing cards, can perform the functions of two tables. Heretofore, the full benefits of haVing a table with a top that can be raised have not been realized since the table top was unsteady in the raised position due to play in the elevating mechanism.

It is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide means whereby an elevating column can be rigidly connected to its support when in the elevated position so that all play between the elevating column and the support will be eliminated.

A further object of this invention is to provide a table having a top which can be located in a raised or lowered position.

Another object of this invention is to provide means for raising a table top from a lower normal position to an elevated position and supporting it there in a stable manner.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from a reading of the description in connection with the drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side perspective view of an assembled table with the top in the lowered position and showing, in dotted lines, the top in the elevated position;

Figure 2 is an elevation of the top raising mechanism in the lowered position and is partially broken away to show a vertical section;

Figure 3 is an elevation of the threaded collar, partially broken away, to show a vertical section; and

Figure 4 is an elevation of the top raising mechanism in the elevated position and is partially broken away to show a vertical section.

As shown in Figure 1, a table 2 has a top 4 having hinged drop leaves 6 and 8. Legs I I], I2 and 14 are located 120 apart and are secured to a column 16. The aforementioned parts may be made of any suitable material, but will preferably be made of wood.

A hollow metal column [8 is ecured by a forced fit in bore 26 in column IS. A threaded bushing 22 having a horizontal flange 24 is secured in 1 Claim. (01. 311---39) column [8 by a forced fit. The lower face 25 of bushing 22 is bevelled. A set screw 26 passes through opening 28 in column 18 and is threaded through opening 363 in bushing 22, The set screw 1 26 has a vise-type handle 3| which is slidably secured in opening 32 in the set screw.

Ring 34 has a flange 36 which is secured to the top 4 of the table by screws 38. Ring 34 is secured to the unthreaded upper portion 40 of threaded column 42, which may be made froma tube or a rod, by a forced fit, and, additionally, by means of a diameter locking pin 44. A collar 46 is secured to the unthreaded lower portion 48 of column 42 by a forced fit, and, additionally, by a diameter locking pin 56. The upper face 52 of collar 46 is bevelled so that, when it is raised, it will lie against face 25 of bushing 22. Collar 46 fits snugly inside column ill but with sufficient clearance to permit freedom of relative movement between collar 46 and column l8.

In assembling the above described table, the first step is to secure bushing 22 in column I8. Threaded column 42 with collar 46 attached is then fed upwardly through column l8 and threaded through bushing 22. Ring 34 may then be secured to column 42. Column I8 is now forced into bore 26 and ring 34 secured to column l6 by screws through openings 53 in flange 24. The final assembly steps are securing top 4 to flange 36 and inserting set screw 26 through an opening in column [6 and opening 28 and into threaded opening 36.

When the top 4 is in the lowered position, column 42 is screwed down so that ring 34 is tightly secured against bushing 22 as shown in Figure 2. Thus it will be seen that the top 4 is rigidly connected to the supporting column so that no play will exist between the top and the supporting column.

When it is desired to place the table: top in its elevated position, column 42 is rotated until face 52 of collar 46 is brought into tight contact with face 25 of bushing 22. Set screw 26 is then turned until it bears tightly against the lands of the threads of column 42, thus preventing any further turning of column 42. It will be apparent that the table top in the elevated position is thus rigidly secured to the supporting column, since the opposing faces 25 and 52 act to prevent any lateral or upward motion of column 42 and set screw 26 acts to prevent column 42 from turning or moving downwardly. In the normal elevating mechanism of this character, the threaded column is connected to the supporting column merely by the threads in the threaded column 3 and the threaded bushing through which it passes. Thus the play which normally exists in such a threaded connection contributes to the unstability of the table top. A collar, such as the collar 46, reduces this unstability, but, since there must be some clearance to permit free movement of this collar, it cannot completely eliminate the play between the threaded column and the threaded collar. The use of bevelled faces 25 and 52, however, does completely eliminate any play between the column 42 and the supporting column l6.

Although this invention has been described as embodied in a table, it will be apparent that it may equally well be embodied in numerous other types of structures Without departing from the scope of the invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

An elevating device comprising a supporting column, a threaded elevating column, a bushing secured to the upper portion of said supporting column and having a bevelled lower face, threads on said bushing which engage the threads on the elevating column, said supporting column and said elevating column being coaxially and telescopically disposed with respect to each other, a

collar secured to the lower portion of the elevating column having an upper bevelled face and adapted to bear against the lower face of the bushing when the elevating column is in the,

raised position, means to rotate the elevating column and means to lock the elevating column against turnin movement.

JOHN GEORGE WEBER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 16,050 Bernson Apr. 21, 1925 89,252 Stockwell Apr. 20, 1869 231,576 Heist Aug. 24, 1880' 500,203 Grimm et al June 27, 1893 609,751 Whippo Aug, 23, 1898 1,332,200 Borgarello Mar. 2, 1920 1,483,051 Saunders Feb. 5, 1924 1,550,461 Simpson Aug. 18, 1925 1,565,878 Whit Dec. 15, 1925 1,783,661 Makoski et al Dec. 2, 1930 1,810,910 Esmond June 23, 1931* Heller Aug. 19, 1M7 

